Mick
Life President
- Joined
- Oct 28, 2003
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Tomorrow's referee will be travelling a fair bit further than most of us to get to the game. It is yet another first year referee, Darren Bond from Burscough in Lancashire. [Anyone remember Burscough, the "smallest" club to ever win the FA Trophy and the team that drew Man Utd at home in the third round of the FA Cup (unfortunately they were only in the draw because their second round game had been postponed and they never got to play them!).]
Anyway back on topic, he has not refereed Southend before and this will be his 11th match at this level. His first ten matches have produced a highish 37 yellows but thus far no reds. He seems to be quite highly thought of, although I haven't seen him referee before.
His first ever League match involved AFC Wimbledon and they lost 6-2.
Moving on to the rest of the "team" we have two officials, Assistant Referee Barry Holderness (who is a very decent non-league referee) and Fourth Official John Hopkins who not only come from the same place but live in the same road a few doors apart. Not only that but they come from Wickford (with a Southend-on-Sea postcode). Most unusual.
The other assistant is Graham Horwood, ex-League referee from Bedford who got thrown off the League list recently.
Anyway back on topic, he has not refereed Southend before and this will be his 11th match at this level. His first ten matches have produced a highish 37 yellows but thus far no reds. He seems to be quite highly thought of, although I haven't seen him referee before.
His first ever League match involved AFC Wimbledon and they lost 6-2.
Moving on to the rest of the "team" we have two officials, Assistant Referee Barry Holderness (who is a very decent non-league referee) and Fourth Official John Hopkins who not only come from the same place but live in the same road a few doors apart. Not only that but they come from Wickford (with a Southend-on-Sea postcode). Most unusual.
The other assistant is Graham Horwood, ex-League referee from Bedford who got thrown off the League list recently.